Barack Obama Released His Favorite Songs, Movies and Books of 2018. Yes, It's Black as Hell
Barack Obama has spoken on his faves for 2018.
Unreleased Music From Beyoncé Leaked and Somebody's Probably Getting Fired
It’s no secret that Beyoncé has no respect for our edges, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that she’d release music…
America Needs to Have a Conversation About White People Covering ‘No Diggity’
A few weeks ago, I was having a conversation with editor Angela Helm while she was beaming about an interview that she…
Black Artists Are Rejecting Offers to Perform for Super Bowl Halftime Show
After being offered the chance of a lifetime to perform in front of 100 million viewers, some of the music industry’s…
In Water Is Wet News: Lauryn Hill (Still) Shows Up 2 Hours Late to Concerts
I am known for many things. My humor, great smile, stamina, the list goes on. But one thing my black ass is not known…
Tekashi 6ix9ine Asks Who’s Gonna Stop Him From Saying the N-Word…Will He Keep That Same Energy in Prison?
Possessed Rainbow Brite doll Tekashi 6ix9ine is facing down a potential life sentence for armed robbery, racketeering,…
Is Usher a Legend In the R&B Game? Yes. Yes, He Is
A few weeks back in Atlanta for Spelhouse homecoming, I got into a fun and spirited debate with my crew of Day Ones…
10 Reasons Why Kanye West Going to Africa to Finish His Album Yandhi Might Work Out for Us All (It Also Might Not)
Kanye West—you may have heard of him—is on the move. On the heels of recent comments about the 13th Amendment and his…
Jay-Z Tops Forbes List of Highest-Paid Rappers; Soulja Boy Snubbed Again
Despite ignoring The Root’s calls to become our employer, the hip-hop artist responsible for killing the spiders and…
Let's Talk About Lauryn Hill's Essay Where She Addresses Everything and Nothing at the Same Damn Time
Ms. Lauryn Hill decided to share some thoughts on all of the talk surrounding her late shows and many of the very…
The Pop Up: pineappleCITI Just Might Be Your New Favorite Rapper
Some say hip-hop is an overstuffed musical genre. That’s both a gift and a curse because it means there’s a variety of…
Dark-Skinned Babies? 'I Ain't With That': GlocKKKNine, Self-Hate and Colorism in America
Some conspiracy theories are real.
YouTube Originals' G Funk Documentary Proves Warren G Saved Snoop Dogg's Career, He's Not Afraid of Suge Knight and Drake Should Thank Him
The G Funk era of hip-hop was ushered in by three hip-hop giants, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg and Warren G. The genre…
The Pop Up: Deva Mahal's Vintage Soul Sound Will Grab Your Attention and Your Eardrums
Growing up, Deva Mahal’s parents made sure that their house was filled with music. “There were no places that were off…
A 246-Word-Long Review of Drake's Scorpion
You ever put a frozen waffle in the toaster but not quite long enough and you bite into it and the inside is still…
You Gotta Put Me On: For the Artists Who Haven’t Quite Reached Mainstream Success but Are Killing the Game
When black people who are musically inclined choose to pursue a career as an artist, they are proclaiming that they not…
New Hit Musical Features White Woman, White Cast Singing ‘Slave Songs’
As further proof that the gentrifying instinct of caucasity knows no bounds, a new theater presentation featuring…
Black Music Month: Soul Music; We Make It, They Take It
Did you know that R&B was renamed as “rhythm & blues” from “race music” by Billboard magazine in 1949? The name change…
Is Black Music the Well Many Other Artists Drink From and Profit From More Than Black Artists?
What is black music? For many, it’s soul, funk, R&B, hip-hop and essentially all genres of music that reflect roots in…
Exclusive: Janelle Monáe Is Trying to Be as Free and Open-Minded as Possible With Virtual Reality and Pandora
“When the world tells us that the very existence of us, or our skin color, could get us kicked out of Starbucks. When…